BHA Federal Policy Update: Week of June 24, 2024

House Introduces Legislation to Renew Wildlife Conservation Programs

Last Friday, the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Rob Wittman (R-VA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), and Mike Thompson (D-CA).

This legislation would extend funding authorization for several conservation programs, including the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force, and builds on the bipartisan success of the ACE Act which was strongly supported by BHA and our members when it was first signed into law in 2020. Further details regarding the legislation can be found here in our press release issued following the Senate vote in May to pass the bill through unanimous consent.

BHA is encouraged to see the House of Representatives introducing legislation necessary to advance the reauthorization of these programs. However, the House version of the bill does not include critical funding increases universally agreed upon in the Senate legislation. BHA and many of our partners continue to advocate for these programs in addition to the funding levels necessary to implement conservation and restoration projects across North America.

Legislation Introduced to Further Conservation of Migration Corridors

This morning, new legislation was introduced in both the House and Senate that aims to conserve migration corridors for wildlife with a specific emphasis on big game species including deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, and wild sheep.

Introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Reps. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Don Beyer (D-VA), the Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act would work in coordination with both the Secretarial Order 3362 “Improving Habitat Quality in Western Big-Game Winter Range and Migration Corridors,’’ issued in 2018 by then Department of the Interior Secretary Zinke and praised by BHA, as well as the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed into law with the support of BHA in 2021.

By providing resources for financial and technical assistance to state and tribal fish and wildlife agencies, private landowners, and non-governmental organizations and directing federal agencies to further coordinate with those entities, this legislation would improve habitat connectivity for migratory species and increase seasonal habitat quality.

The bill would also establish the State and Tribal Migration Research Program to collect, research, and analyze data on wildlife movement corridors and the Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program to improve or conserve habitat through projects including habitat leases, fence modifications, and reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Read BHA’s press release here.

Kaden McArthurKaden McArthur

A western hunter and angler, my passion for wild places and wildlife brought me to Washington, DC to work on conservation policy.

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Full biography

A western hunter and angler, my passion for wild places and wildlife brought me to Washington, DC to work on conservation policy.

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